Volume 8, Chapter 495 – Making the Entire Immortal Alliance Grow Vegetables for Me (Part 1)

The night was enchanting, the soft glow of candlelight reflecting off the spacious bed, casting a faint pink hue, a color that seemed to emanate from Cheng Hongling’s very skin.

Cheng Hongling lay sprawled across the large bed, her delicate face flushed, her outer garments already shed. She wore only a red rose-embroidered bellyband and a pair of sheer silk trousers, leaving her entire snow-white back exposed. The ties of her bellyband were fastened into an exquisite butterfly knot at the small of her back, resting against skin so fair it could shame frost and snow, adding an indescribable allure to the scene.

Qi Huang stood by the bed, holding the nearly depleted jar of Anemia Paste, her trembling hands betraying the excitement and nervousness in her heart. For some reason, every time she saw her main body’s form, she felt as if she were defiling a celestial fairy.

“Quit standing there like a fool, hurry up! This time, you have to succeed… at least finish applying it to my back. There’s not much paste left, we can’t afford to waste it over and over again.”

Cheng Hongling’s muffled voice came from where she had buried her face in the bedding.

“I don’t have a problem with it, but are you sure you’re ready? You’re shaking worse than those old folks with chronic joint pain.”

Qi Huang shot back. After all, she still had a man’s mentality. No matter how much her hands trembled, applying medicine wasn’t an issue. The main body, however, was different.

“You—!”

Cheng Hongling was instantly furious.

“Ah, never mind, never mind! If we fail, we fail. If we run out, I’ll just buy more. With the Golden Fortune Auction House’s help, there’s nothing we can’t get.”

Qi Huang quickly backtracked.

“This Anemia Paste is ridiculously expensive. We should use it sparingly. Besides, we don’t have time to waste.”

Cheng Hongling gritted her teeth.

“Fine! Then brace yourself. I’m going to start.”

Qi Huang gave a warning before pouring a small amount of the paste onto her slender fingers and pressing them against Cheng Hongling’s back.

The moment her fingers made contact, Qi Huang felt as though she were touching the finest silk. Smooth, delicate, and flawless. The intoxicating sensation traveled from her fingertips through her entire body, leaving her lightheaded.

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Cheng Hongling, being a young woman with thin skin, was already embarrassed, and her back was particularly sensitive. Under the combined assault of physical and psychological factors, her body trembled violently as if struck by lightning, her fair skin flushing a delicate shade of pink.

“O-okay… that’s enough!”

After holding out for a short while, Cheng Hongling finally surrendered, clumsily pulling the blanket over herself.

“Alright.”

Qi Huang could only reluctantly give up.

Over the next few days, Cheng Hongling continuously worked to overcome her psychological barriers, finally allowing Qi Huang to finish applying the paste to her back. By then, however, the Anemia Paste had run out.

Qi Huang immediately set off for the prefectural branch of the Golden Fortune Auction House. This trip wasn’t just to buy more Anemia Paste, she also had other matters to discuss with Liu Yingyue.

Before long, Qi Huang, now disguised as a man, appeared inside the auction house.

“Young Master Li, you’ve arrived! The proceeds from the cat’s tear auctions have been prepared for you.”

Liu Yingyue came out to greet her warmly. If not for this noble patron’s help over the past two years, she would have long been married off, and her father would have died unjustly. After all, even the Huang siblings were connected to this “Young Master Li”.

“Mn. But I have other matters to discuss with you this time.”

Qi Huang replied calmly. In the two years they had known each other, she had never revealed her true identity to Liu Yingyue, only telling her that her surname was Li.

“Oh? Then let’s talk inside.”

Liu Yingyue promptly led Qi Huang into her private guest room.

Qi Huang followed behind Liu Yingyue. Compared to their first meeting, the latter’s figure had grown even more voluptuous. From behind, the thin fabric of her skirt did little to hide the exaggerated curve of her hips, which stood in stark contrast to her slender, snake-like waist. Combined with the intoxicating fragrance that teased her senses, it was no wonder Liu Yingyue was considered one of the capital’s three great beauties, even Qi Huang felt her thoughts wandering.

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“Young Master, this month, the cat’s tears were auctioned five times, with two vials sold each time. Each vial fetched around thirty thousand taels. After deducting the cost of purchasing Ghost Tomatoes, labor fees, storage fees, and so on, there’s still two hundred thousand taels of silver left.”

Liu Yingyue, ever the professional, first handed the silver notes to Qi Huang.

“What about the auction house’s commission? It’s not good to always have you working for free.”

Qi Huang asked, as she always did.

“Young Master, you jest. If not for you, where would I be today?”

Liu Yingyue thanked her sincerely.

Qi Huang didn’t press further, accepting the silver notes, though her expression remained indifferent.

“What’s wrong? Does Young Master have something troubling him?”

Liu Yingyue asked with concern.

“It’s nothing. I just feel like the number of Ghost Tomatoes we’ve procured is far too low.”

Qi Huang explained. She had already raised the purchase price to three hundred taels per tomato, yet the monthly yield still hadn’t increased much.

“Isn’t that a good thing? It means the Ghost Tomatoes in the Western Radiance Dynasty are becoming scarcer. If I recall correctly, Young Master once said you were purchasing them to eliminate a hidden danger for the common people!”

Liu Yingyue asked, puzzled.

“Ah…”

Qi Huang froze for a moment before hurriedly explaining, “I might not have phrased it clearly. What I meant was that the procurement speed is too slow, it’s not meeting my expectations.”

“Oh!”

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Liu Yingyue suddenly understood. “Young Master, as you know, Ghost Tomatoes are extremely rare. Maintaining a monthly supply of several dozen is already quite difficult.”

“I understand! But my concern isn’t just for the people of the Western Radiance Dynasty, it’s for the entire cultivation world. At this rate, when will we ever eradicate Ghost Tomatoes completely?”

Qi Huang lied without batting an eye. Based on her calculations, the Ghost Tomatoes in the Western Radiance Dynasty alone wouldn’t be enough for her ascension to immortality.

“The entire cultivation world?”

Liu Yingyue was stunned, her expression shifting to one of admiration. “I had no idea Young Master Li was such a compassionate soul. Yingyue feels ashamed in comparison.”

“Think nothing of it!”

Qi Huang smugly lifted her chin.

“But, if I may speak frankly, achieving that goal won’t be easy. First, my influence is limited. I can only promote your cause within this branch of the Golden Fortune Auction House. Second, even if you could find an organization with influence spanning the entire cultivation world to handle procurement, it would still be impossible to completely wipe out Ghost Tomatoes. As for the reason…”

Liu Yingyue hesitated briefly before continuing, “Young Master Li, logically speaking, the wild Ghost Tomatoes in the Western Radiance Dynasty should have been exhausted long ago. Do you know why our auction house can still gather several dozen, sometimes even a hundred, every month?”

“Why?”

Qi Huang’s curiosity was piqued.

“Because someone is secretly cultivating them.”

Liu Yingyue leaned in and whispered.

“What? Cultivating them?”

Qi Huang was instantly shocked, the tragedy of Bajiao Village was still fresh in her mind.

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“Indeed. As long as Ghost Tomatoes remain profitable, there will always be people growing them in secret. That’s why I said eradicating them entirely would be difficult.”

Liu Yingyue added.

“Mn.”

Qi Huang quickly processed the information before asking, “How did you find out about this?”

“As the primary buyer of Ghost Tomatoes, I interact with many sellers. Over time, you pick up on certain… inside information.”

Liu Yingyue explained before lowering her voice solemnly. “Young Master, you must know that Ghost Tomatoes have extremely strict environmental requirements. They can only take root in lands of extreme yin. Even if they’re planted elsewhere, it’s nearly impossible for them to bloom and bear fruit unless massive resources are invested. Obviously, profit-driven individuals wouldn’t go to such lengths. Instead, they secretly scatter the seeds in naturally occurring lands of extreme yin. And when they do… the nearby common folk suffer the consequences.”

Qi Huang fell silent, unsure whether to feel joy or worry. On one hand, this meant an endless supply of Ghost Tomatoes for her. On the other, what about the common people?

After much internal struggle, her conscience ultimately won out. She decided to put a stop to this practice.

But how?

Qi Huang found herself in an awkward position. While she was powerful, she had neither status nor time to personally crack down on these operations.

Wait, the Immortal Alliance!

A spark of inspiration flashed in her mind. If she reported this to Elder Zuo, the Immortal Alliance would undoubtedly take action. Not only was it within their duties, but given Elder Zuo’s character, he certainly wouldn’t pass up an opportunity to profit. He might even rope in the rest of the alliance to “grow vegetables” for her.

The more Qi Huang thought about it, the more excited she became. She quickly made up an excuse to leave the auction house temporarily.

In the blink of an eye, Qi Huang arrived at a small grove outside the city. After ensuring there were no eavesdroppers, she took out the Thousand-Mile Communication Tube to contact Elder Zuo.

This time, she would make the entire Immortal Alliance grow vegetables for her.